Seed drill



Feb. 26, 1929.

C. J. ALLEN SEED DRILL Filed April 27, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheetl l /v VEN ra l? Chan/ea' JAZZ/@m .HTTOFNEYS WITNESS Feb. 26, 1929. A 1,703,467 l C. J. ALLEN SEED DRILL Filed Apr-i1 27, 1928 2 'sheets-sheet f.

/NvENToR Chan/e5 f H1/,am

retenue Feb. 26,1929.

UNITED STATES CHARLES J. ALLEN,-0F MooREsToWN, New JERSEY, AssiGNon 'ro s. L. ALLEN & co.,

` INC., e.` coRroRA'rIoN or PENNSYLVANIA.

lSEED DRILL.

"Applicationfled April 27, 1928. Serial No. 273,196.

My invention relates toV seed drills intended for sowing seeds of various kinds and sizes and more particularly to the means for adjusting the drill to the particular kind of seed which is to be sown. f

Many agriculturists own but a single drill and utilize the samein sowing many different sorts of seed in their farming operations, the sizes thereof ranging` from verysmall seeds, such as celery seeds, to relativelylarge seeds,'s'uh as peas or beans, and in order to insure the most satisfactory crop it is necessary that the seeds, Whatever be their size,

` be distributed evenly in the furrow in a substantially predetermined amount for each linear yard ythereof and without any bruising or crushing of the seeds as they pass through the drill. A

Seed 'drills of the character to which my invention particularly relates lare ordinarily provided with a seed holding hopper in which is disposed an agitator wheel adapted to rotate on a fixed axis and in a fixed position adjacent a delivery port in the bott-om of the hopper through which the seeds can flow to the subjacent delivery spout by which they are directed intothe furrow which is opened by a plow or other like contrivance with which the drill is provided. For controlling the rate at which the seeds pass/into thc spout from the hopper, the drill is frequently provided with some form of means such as an adjustable perforated slide or the like interposed between the port in the hopper and the delivery spout which may bev moved so as to -vary the size of the opening through which the seed mustflow in its passage to the `spout and ymy invention particularly relatesto the means employed for thisv is varied in correspondence with the particu-r` lar size of the opening, this bruising or janinling-.j of the ,seeds 1s entirely avoided, and a free and constantflow of uninjured and perfect seed assured. f

A principal object of my invention, therefore, is to provide in a seed drill, novel means by which variations in the relative position which said means are providedis broughtl into registry with the delivery vport in the` seed hopper and thus in proximity to the agitator wheel, the opening will be automaticallypositionedwith respect to the latter in such manner that any bruising or jamming of the seeds between the wheel and the edge of the opening inthe subsequent operation of the drill will be avoided. l j

My invention further contemplates the 4general improvement and simplification of seed' drills of the character of those to which my invention is particularly applicable and further includes other objects and novel feat-ures of design and construction hereinafter' more definitely specified or which will be apparent from the following description of certain forms of seed drills incorporating the principles of my invention. Y

As the said invention is readily applicable to lvarious forms of drills I have illustrated several of the latter in the said drawing to enable those skilled in the art to readily comprehend and practise the invention but in each instance have shown only so much of the drillA itself as is necessary for that purpose. Moreover, as the invention particularly lendsitself to utilizationv in drills embodying aV rotatable feed control disk provided with a plurality of holes of different .sizes which may be selectively brought into registry with the delivery port in the bottom of the hopper in accordance with the partic-l ular size of seed which it is desired to sow,

.sa-id disks kbeing desirably interchangeable so as to afford a wide range of different sized seedl openings, I will first refer to certain f forms'of drills of this general character and embodying the principles of my invention.

In the said drawings, Fi lis al fragmentary bottom plan View of t ie hopper and adjacent parts ot' one ot the said drills; Fig. 2 is an. enlarged fragmentary view in central vertical longitudinal section olf the lower part of the hopper` thereof with one of the feeding dislrs in position and designed to illustrate the relation ol the agitator wheel and feed openings et different sizes, and Figs. 3 and 4; are respectively face views otl two of the interchangeable feeding disks having different sized feed openings and removed trom the drill; F v5 is a 'fragmentary rear elevation, partially in section, or' a different type ot drill en'ibodying` Jeed control means in ac eordance with the principles ot my invention; Fig. 6 is a tace view of a t'eed control dislr suitable for use with thisjtype oi drill and Fig. 7 is a bottoni plan view el the hopper and adjacent parts ot the drill generally corresponding to F l; Fig. 8 is a view generally similar to Fig. 7 but illustrating another type of drill also embodying ieed control means constructed in accordance with the principles oi my invention, said means being slidable instead of rotatable as in the terms et the invention shown in the preceding figures, and Fig. 9 is a face viewof the feed control slide shown in Fig. 8 but removed from operative position. Like symbols are used to designate corresponding parts in the several figures.

Referring now more particularly to that form ot the invention shown in Figs. l to l inclusive, it will be understood that the drill is provided with a seed containing hopper l which may be either removably or lixedly mounted on the frame oi the drill (not shown) in any convenient way. rlhe walls or the hopper are sloped. inwardly toward its bottoni so as to concentrate the seed at thatpoint and within the hopper is disposed an agitator wheel 2 secured to a shaflt 3 extending through the walls ot the hopper and driven in any suitable way so as to rotate the agitator wheely under operative conditions in the direction indicated by the arrow. To prevent the seed from being crushed between the periphery of the wheel. and the wall o1" the hopper, it is desirable that the latter be arranged very closely adjacent that portion of the periphery of the wheel which lies substantially between its horizontal diameter and the trent edge of the seed port hereinal'ter menti! ned as it is in this region there is the greatest likelihood of the seeds being drawn in and crushed between the wheel and the hopper wall; thus. that part of the wall designated 4 and lying adjacent the wheel in the region referred to is desirably curved on its inner face to correspond with the curvature et the rim of the wheel and arranged to lie very closely adjacent the latter.

The agitator wheel may be ot any suitable form although I prefer to utilize a wheel such as is shown in the drawings and which is bent in opposite directions from itscentral disposed a delivery spout 6 through which the seed is conducted to the furrow which is opened by a plow or other suitable device not shown) carried by the drill, it being understood that the area or' the delivery port in the hopper is suilicient to permit the passage of the largest seed which the machine is intended to sow. The delivery spoutand the hopper may be supported in any suitable way; for example and as shown through the medium of complementary webs 7 and 8 with which the spout and thehopper are respectively provided and which are drilled for the passage of connecting bolts 9. Between these webs may be interposed a plate 10 which eX- tends outwardly from the webs in onedirection for suitable attachment to the .trame of the drill and in the other direction eXtends rearwardly beneath Vthe hopper for a purpose hereinafter described, the plat-e being provided with an aperture registering with the delivery port so that it presents no obstacle to the passage of the seed tothe spout.-

Means for controlling the flow of the seed from the delivery port to the spout are provided and comprise, in the forml et` the invention to which reference is now being made7 a plurality ot' interchangeable disks D each provided wit-h a plurality of seed openings desirably of graduated sizes? that is, all the seed openings in one disk-may be of relatively large size as shown in l and all of the openings inanother disk of relatively smaller size as shown in Fig. 3 and all of the openings in still another disk of still smaller size as shown in FiO'. l; any desired number oit disks may be provided although three willl ordinarily he found suflicient to give an adequate number of graduated seed openings to cover the range of seed generally utilized in drills of this character. 1 Y

Under operative conditions one of these dislis is disposed beneath the hopper in such a position thata portion of it is interposed between the under tace o t the hopper and the upper end of the deliveryspout and the disk is rotatably supported on a suitable pivot as, 'for example, a removable vstud l5 extended through a hole atthe axis ot the disk and through the rearwardly projecting portion of the plate l0, the stud being held in operative position by a Cotter pin l@ or in any other convenient way.y Thus, by removing the cotter pin the disks can be readily interchanged when desired.

Each of the feed control disks comprisesav pivot stud, an annularly spaced series of locking holes 22 surrounding and radially spaced from the pivot holes and an annularly spaced series of seed feed openings .23 adjacent the rim of the disk and arranged as hereinafter more particularly described.

To accommodate the disk when assembled with the hopper the inclined bottom or under face of the latter is disposed in two parallel planes one above the other and separated by a distance substantially equal to the thicknessv of the disk. Thus the portion 24 of said face which lies behind and adjacent the sides of the delivery port 5 is upwardlyoflset from the portion 24 which lies in front of the portand generally beneath the agitator wheel so that a shoulder' 25 is provided which coincides with and forms in fact the front edge of the port. Thus, when the disk is in operative position a part of that portion of the disk which lies in front of the pivot 15 is disposed in the recess formed by the upward offsetting of the face 24 and the subjacent web or plate l0, the arrangement being such that the series of seed holes 23 in the disk arealigned with the delivery port in the hopper, the port of course being of greater size than theflargest hole in any of the disks so as not to obstruct the same when registered therewith. y Any suitable means such as a bolt 30 cooperative with any of the series of locking holes 22 in the disk and with a hole in the web or plate l()V may be utilized for holding the disk iny any desired position of rotative adjustment so as to maintain any one of the feed openings in registry with the delivery port, the relative position of the various locking holes and feed openings in each disk being of course so calculated that for each opening there is a corresponding locking hole for the reception of the bolt or other locking Any suitable means are preferably provided. for positively cutting off the flow of seed from the hopper to the delivery spoutk irrespective of the adjusted position of the feed control disk, as, for example, a cut-olf plate 32 pivot- Ved near its center' on the pivot stud 15 for oscillation at one end in a slot or recess formed in the web 7 of the delivery spout from a position in which it is out of alignment'with the delivery port, as shown in Fig. l, to a posi.- tion in which it is aligned therewith so as to effectually close it against the flow of seed, the movement of the cut-off plate being effected in any convenient way as, for example, by a rod for the like (not shown) extending from its opposite end to any point where it may be conveniently operated manually by the operator of the drill.

As each disk when operatively adjusted occupies a predetermined position with respect to the'other parts of the seed drill, the relation between the operative seed feed opening in the disk and the agitator wheel is necessarily determined by the distance between the axis of the disk and the center of the feed j opening, and I have found that when large seeds are being sown it 1s desirable, 1n order to avoid bruising or crushing of the seeds between the agitator wheel and the edges of.

the seed opening as they pass therethrough, that said openings be disposed at a greater distance from the axis of rotation of the wheel than when seeds of a smallerk character are being sown and vice versa. To accomplish this result in accordance with the present invention, 'I progressively increase the distance between the centers of the seed openings and the centersv of the disk in which they are formed as the openings become progressively smaller so that the center of the largest feed opening in each disk is most nearly adjacent the center of the diskand that of the smallest opening most remote therefrom, this progressive increase in the distances being desirably maintained throughout the entire series of disks intended for use with the drill. However, las the decrease in the size of the openings in anyone disk is usually quite gradual, it is in practice unnecessary and, in fact, quite difficult to correspondingly increase the distance between the centers of an adjacent group of feed openings, particularly as to preserve the theoretically proper relation of each opening with the agitator wheel the center of the opening should be moved outwardly from the center of the disk for a distance equal to but one-'half of the differencev in diameter between such opening and the next larger opening. Therefore I have found that satisfactory results can be obtained in pracof gradually decreasing diameter have theirl centers on an arc 2-1/16 radius-while-the last group of two openings 23h have their' centers disposed on an arc ot 243/64 radius. In like manner the smaller openings in the disk illustrated in Fig. 4 are arranged in groups designated as 28C, 23d, 23e, 231', 23g and have their centers respectively disposed on arcs of increasing radii. Zihus, while under such conditions the relation between the agitator wheel and the centers ot all ot the openings in each group in a given disk is the same, a slightly different relation exists between it and all ot' the openings in the next adjacent group and so on with the result that while this variation is ordinarily quite small as between two openings of fairly similar diameter disposed in adjacent groups, there is a very niaterial diiierence in the relation when con,- sidered with respect to the llargest opening and the smallest opening in a given disk and, to an even greater extent, in the whole series or' disks. This will be clearly brought out by reference to Fig. 2 showing a. disk in operative relation with the hopper. ln this igure the diameter of the largest ieed opening in the disk is indicated as X and that of the smallest opening as Y and it will be noted that the latter would occupy a position much closer to the agitator wheel than does the former.

lt will thus be apparent that because of the novel arrangement of the feed openings in the feed control disk, said openings are progressively and automatically moved in toward the agitator wheel as the disk is rotated to progressively register openings of decreasing size with the delivery port 5, which would not be the case it' the centers or all ot the feed openings, irrespective of their size, were equidistant from the centers oi" the disk; in consequence, the relation between any given opening and the rim of the agitator wheel is such as to enable the seed tor which said opening is intended to pass through it while the wheel is rotating without being crushed or bruised against the edges of or amming in or clogging the opening so that an even and constant low of perfect seeds is insured.

In Figs. 5, 6 and 7 .l have shown a somewhat modiiied forni oi the invention as embodied in a seed drill adapted to simultaneously sow two rows ot seed. To this end the drill, instead of being provided with a single delivery spout as in the torni ot the invention shown in lTig. l, is provided with a spout having two late .'ally di vergent branches G and G which merge together adjacent the hopper so that the passages within the respective branches are at this point separated merely by a tain vertically extending wall or partition. 33, the edge ot which tern'iinates substantially in the plane of the upper end ot the spout and .is desirably disposed substantially coincident with the median line ot the delivery port in the superjacent hopper. Under these circumstances in order to attain the advantages oit my invention and in accordance.therewith l :provide interchangeable seed feed disks 20 in which the seed feed openings are grouped in pairs respectively annularly spaced about theperiphery of the disk, the holes in each pair being or the same size and annularly separated for a distance substantially corresponding to the thickness ot the upper end et the partition 33 and the centers ot each pair oit holes being spaced from the center oit the disk in conformity with their diameter. ln llig. 6 l have shown removed from the drill a disk in which the holes'are arranged in the manner just described and, i-iimilarly to the ari .ngement adopted in the t-.isks shown in Figs, and Ll, the respective pairs ot' holes are arianged'in groups in'each et' which 'the centers oi all ont the holes are disposed the same distance t'rom the center ot' the disk. Thus, the largest holes 23h are arranged in one group wth their centers disposed at a given distance from the center oi*I the disk, each pair oi holes in this group considered in a counter-clockwise ldirection being oft slightly smaller dian'ieter than the nient or registry vwith the delivery yport in the superjacent hopper they will occupy a proper relation with respect to the agitator wheel to insure satisfactory passage ot seed to the delivery spout since the centers ofA the smaller holes will be disposed more closely adjacent the agitator wheel than the centers or the larger ones, just as in the case et the ferm ot the invention hitherto described. lt will be iturtherv apparent that by reason of the grouping of the holes in pairs a seed opening will vbe provided tor each branch oi the subjacent delivery spoutthrough which the seed can pass thereto, thus insuring an even and constant i'eed to each branch ot 'the spout.

In Figs. 8 and 9 l have shown still another iorm of the invention in which instead of the seed openings being disposed in a rotating plate and thus capable oi being brought into registry with the delivery port in the hopper by rotation oit the disk about a. i'iXed axis, the seed openings are located in a plate or slide 35 which is longitudinally movable relatively to the hopper in a direction parallel to the axis of rotation or the agitator wheel. rlhis slidev may consist of a strip of metal oit suitable width 'and' thick ness and is arranged to be slidable tinfougli a leo i slot formed beneath the delivery port in vthe bottom of the iopper either in the latter or in the top of the delivery spout. As' shown the slide is profi/led with four feedopenings 23W, 23x, 23V, 23, though any desired number maybe used, consisting of circular holes arranged in pairs transversely of the slide and so located with respect to the center line 'thereof that their centers will progressively approach the same as vthe holes decrease in size. Thus, when the plate is so moved. as to bring the hole 23W into registry with the delivery port 5 as in Fig. 8, the hole will bc disposed with its center at a greater distance from the agitator wheel than will bek the smaller hole 23X when brought toA operative position. Similarly, either of the holes QBY and 23Z may be utilized by simply removing the plate from its normal position in the hopper and turning it end for end so as to bring these holes into transverse alignment with the delivery port, after-'which either of the said holes may be registered therewith by a suitable longitudinal movement of theslide. Owing to the fact that these last mentioned holes are also located progressively nearer to the center line of the plate as their diameters increase, the smaller of the said holes will lie more closely adjacent the axis of rotation of the agitator wheel when in operative position'than will the larger.

It will thus beA apparent that in accordance with the principles of my invention, in each of the different forms of drills to which I have referred, the yarrangement of the feed holes is such that when they are selectively brought to operative position the larger holes will be so disposed that' their centers are fart-her from the agitator wheel than the smaller holes or, in other words, that as the feed holes progressively increase in size they are disposed with their centers correspondingly farther from a vertical plane through the axis of rotation of the agitator wheel, thus enabling the particular size of seed for which the hole is adapted to pass through the hole while the agitator wheel is rotatingwithout being forced against the rim `of the holeby the wheel and thereby crushed or bruised and without any jamming within the hole itself. It will be further apparent that the principles of my invention are readily adaptable to various types and styles of seeders other than those to which I have referred and irrespective of the particular or specific details ofL constructon thereof and also that, as above explained, the feed holes may be arranged singly in spaced relation with each other or arranged in pairs to therebygefl'ect simultaneous distribution of seeds to a pair of delivery spouts instead of to a single spout.

Having thus -described my invention, I claim and desire to protect by Letters Patent of the United States:

l. The combination with a seed drill comprising a hopper adaptedto hold the seeds to be sown and having a feed port in its bottom, a delivery spout below the port and an agitator wheel rotatable within the hopper adjacent thewport, of means for controlling the passage of the seed from the hopper to the spout con'iprising an element movable with respect to the hopper and provided with a plurality of holes of graduated sizcs'adapted to be selectively brought into registry with, thek port by movement of the element, said holes being so located in the element that when registered with thev port the centers thereof will be disposed at increasingly greater distances from said wheel as the holes increase in size.

2. The Combination witha seed drill comprising'a hopperadapted to hold the seed .to be sown and having a delivery port in its bottom, a delivery spout below the port and an agitator wheel'mounted to rotate on a fiXed axis within the hopper, of means for controlling the passage of the seed from the hopper to the spout comprising a movable element extending beneath said port and provided with a plurality of holes of di'erent diameter adapted to be selectively brought into registry with said port by movement of said element, said holes being so located in the element that when registered with the port the center of thc largest hole will be disposed at a greater distance from the axis of rotation of the wheel than the center of a hole of materially-smaller diameter than the largest hole.

3. In combination with a seed' drill comprising a hopper adapted to hold the seed to be sown and having a delivery port in its bottom, a delivery spoutV below the port and an agitator wheel mounted'to rotate on a fixed axis in the hopper, of means for controlling the passage of the seed from the hopper to the spout through said port comprising a member movable with respect to the hopper and the port and having a plurality of holes of graduated sizes disposed therein adapted to be selectivelybrought into registry with said port by movement ofsaid member, the 'I holes being so disposed in the member that,A

as holes of progressively smaller size'are consecutively brought into registry with said port their centers will be respectively disposed at decreasing distances from the axis of rotation of said wheel.

4. A seed drill comprising a hopper adapted to hold the seed tobe sown and having va seed port in its bottom, a delivery spout below the port, yand means for controlling the passage of the seed from the hopper to the spout comprising a rotatable disk provided withv aplurality of annularly spaced seed openings of different sizes disposed with their centers at increasingly greater distances fromthe center of the disk as the openings decrease n size.

5. A seed drill comprising a hopper adapted to h old the seed to be sown and having a seed port in its bottom, a delivery spout heloW the port, and means for controlling tl e passage of the seed from the hopper to the spout comprising a rotatable disk and a pivotfor the disk, said disk being provided with a plurality of annularly spaced openings of decreasing diameter adapted to he selectively aligned with said delivery port hy rotation of the disk and so disposed in the disk that the centers of 'the openings lie at increasingly greater distances from the center oi? the disk as the openings decrease in size.

G. As an article of manufacture, a teed control disk for a seed drill comprising a circulaimetallic disk having a plurality oit circular annularly spaced seed feed openings of gradually decreasing'size adjacent its peprogressively disposed at increasing distances romthe center of the disk as the openings de crease in size. y

7. As an article of manufacture, a feed control disk for a seed drill comprising a circular disk of metal having a pivot hole at its center, a. series of annularly spaced locking holes symmetrically surrounding said pivot hole, and a plurality of circular annularly spaced seed feed openings adjacent its periphery, said feed openings being graduated in size and the centers thereof being progressively spaced from the center of the disk as the openings decrease in size.

In Witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand this 25th day of April, 1928.

CHARLES J. ALLEN. 

